The TAC FC Training Guide: Drill Groups, Intensity and Player Growth

Training is where seasons are won

Transfers get the headlines, but most of a club's long-term progress comes from training. Every week your players train, and every week they can improve. Over a season, the difference between a well-planned training programme and a careless one is enormous: it can mean several extra stars across your squad without spending any money.

Drill groups: train what each player needs

In TAC FC you put players into drill groups such as fitness, shooting or crossing. The simplest approach is to train each player in the skill his position needs most. Strikers benefit from shooting, wingers and full-backs from crossing, and every outfield player benefits from fitness, especially in a calendar with four league rounds a week.

A more advanced approach is to train weaknesses. If your best centre-back is strong in the air but slow, a fitness focus can make him a more complete defender. If a talented young midfielder cannot finish, a period of shooting drills can turn him into a goal threat. Review your groups every few weeks and move players as their needs change.

Intensity: faster progress, more fatigue

You choose how hard your players train. Harder training improves them faster but tires them more, and tired players perform worse in matches and are more likely to lose form. The right intensity depends on the calendar and on your goals for the week.

In a week with an important match, lower the intensity for the players who will start, so they arrive fresh. In a quieter period, or for young players who are not in your first eleven, raise it to speed up their development. Many good managers keep two groups: a lighter one for the regular starters and a harder one for the reserves and prospects.

Who improves the most

Players develop through weekly training, playing time, age and their potential. Young players improve the most, and they improve faster when they also play matches. This creates a useful trade-off: giving a talented 18-year-old a start in an easier league match may cost you a little today, but it accelerates his growth for the future.

Older players improve slowly and eventually decline, whatever you do. Training still helps them keep their strength for longer, and fitness work is especially valuable for players over thirty.

A simple weekly routine

On Monday, check fitness and form across the squad. Move tired starters to lighter training, and move fresh reserves to harder training. Before each match, make sure your starting eleven is not exhausted. At the end of the week, look at which players improved and adjust their drill groups. It takes a few minutes a week, and over a full season it is one of the most valuable things you can do as a manager.

Plan training around the match calendar

With league rounds on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, there is little time between matches, and Saturday to Sunday is the tightest gap of all. Training intensity and match fitness compete for the same energy. A sensible pattern is to train harder in the weeks with fewer cup ties and ease off when the calendar is crowded. If a key player is already tired, a hard week of drills can leave him below his best for the matches that matter most.

Before you raise intensity, look at the fitness of your regular starters. If most of them are fresh, harder training is a good investment. If several are already tired, keep the intensity moderate and rely on rotation instead. The progress you gain from one hard week is rarely worth losing two league matches.

Training by age group

Young players improve the most, so they deserve the most attention in training. Put them in the drill groups that build the skills their position needs: a young striker in shooting, a young winger in crossing, a young full-back in fitness. Because they also need playing time to grow, combine their training with appearances in cups or easier league matches.

Players in their prime improve more slowly, and the main goal is to keep them sharp. For older players, the priority is fitness. They are unlikely to gain much from technical drills, but staying fit keeps them useful for another season or two. Do not expect a 32-year-old to become a better passer: expect him to stay as good as he is for as long as possible.

Signs your training is too hard

If your players are often tired before kick-off, if results get worse towards the end of each week, or if your best players regularly look short of energy in the second half of live matches, your intensity is probably too high for your calendar. Lower it for a week and compare. Training is a long-term investment, and it should not cost you points in the short term.

The opposite problem is training that is too easy. If your squad is always fresh but players barely improve over several weeks, you are leaving progress on the table. Most managers find a middle setting for the regular weeks and push harder only for short periods.

A worked example of a training plan

Suppose you have a squad of 24 players: 14 regular starters and rotation players, 6 young prospects and 4 veterans. A balanced plan could put the young prospects in drill groups that match their positions at a higher intensity, because they gain the most and play fewer minutes. The starters could train at a moderate intensity in the groups that fix the team's weakest area, for example shooting if you create chances but do not score. The veterans could focus on fitness. Review the plan every week, and move players between groups when their needs change.

Common training mistakes

Putting every player in the same drill group wastes training, because a goalkeeper and a striker do not need the same work. Changing the plan every day stops you from seeing what works. Ignoring fatigue costs points. And forgetting about training altogether is the most common mistake of all: a club that trains well every week will slowly overtake a club with more money that does not.